School Boundaries

Are you curious about what school your child would attend if you were to purchase a particular house?  I found this map on the Oak Harbor School District website (www.ohsd.net) which helps to show you where the various school boundaries.  This could be very helpful if you are wanting to be sure your child doesn't have to change schools as result of your desire for a different house. 

This map can be found on the OHSD website

Naturally it is best to verify, with Oak Harbor School District, that your address is slated for a particular school as the map is wonderfully helpful, but things may have changed since this map was last updated (though clearly things don't change too frequently since the map was created in 2007 and I downloaded a copy of it today 8.31.2015).

Whidbey Island Naval Air Base Jet Noise

If you currently live in Oak Harbor or Coupeville, Washington... or are moving to the area you may be interested to know what parts of the island experience the least and the most jet noise. I recently was showing some houses to a family that were interested in finding a home that experienced similar flights to those in their current home and showed them some maps that show the typical flight zones. These could be handy for anyone living in the area, looking to move to a different home in the area, or those looking to move to the area.

 The maps were developed to assist new home builders in knowing what amount of noise insulation/buffering they needed to have in a house that was being constructed depending upon where it fell on the map. The way other homeowners could use this map is to find a home that meets their needs while taking into consideration what amount of noise they may experience. Clearly those homes located closer to the base, in Oak Harbor, or the outlying field (OLF), in Coupeville, will be the most aware of flights happening... while homes further out from these locations will experience the least amount of noise.

**maps pulled Island County Noise Zone Maps - Washington State Building Code Council 2002

The Feel of Whidbey Island

Beautiful video that gives you the feel of what it's like to be on Whidbey Island.  

Most Common Pitfalls of Selling a Home

Selling your home can be an exciting, yet challenging, time for a homeowner and it is important to know to how to approach each stage of the sale to get best value for your home. Many people get excited when selling their home because of the potential of making good profit as well as moving to a new home.  Often homeowners make some mistakes which can put your sale process off track resulting in either your home not selling or you getting a less desirable price for it. In this article we will discuss some of the most common pitfalls of selling a home and how to avoid them.

1) Selling Your Home Without Being Ready

You may have lived in your home for several years and even have an emotional attachment to it.  Many homeowners put their homes up for sale without being mentally prepared for it. You should analyze why you want to sell your home and if you are really prepared to move to a new home. You can talk to your family, friends and even neighbors if necessary to help you make the right decision.

2) Entering the Housing Market Without Research

The second mistake that many people do when trying to sell their home is not doing any research about the housing market. The supply and demand curve of the housing market keeps fluctuating so you should know what the present situation is before trying to sell your house. When you know the market conditions you will list your house for the right price which will facilitate a smooth sales process and good profit in a timely manner.

3) Choosing the Wrong Realtor

This is another common mistake that many homeowners make when looking to sell their home. Choosing the right realtor can make a lot of difference in whether or not your home is sold and the amount of profit you make from it. You can take suggestions from friends and relatives about a good realtor but also do your own research and never hire someone just based on recommendation of others.  A good realtor will let you know the steps that will happen before your home is listed for sale and will also keep you updated routinely about feedback from showings and help with offers.

4) Neglecting Necessary Repairs

You will have to sell you home for a lower price resulting in less profit if you don't complete the necessary repairs before putting it up for sale. You would have to spend some money to complete the necessary repairs but if potential buyers see these faults in the home they may either refuse to buy it or bargain for a lower sale price.  If they notice one repair that has not been completed, they will immediately assume that there are other things you have neglected in the home.  You should avoid this and complete all the necessary repairs before selling a home so that you get the best price for it.

Mortgage Pre Approval

Some people, so wrapped with house-buying fever, tend to overlook mortgage pre approval, the most crucial part of the process. Mortgage pre approval describes the actions of examining your finances by a lender, to decide if you can afford to pay for a home. This process is important as you will get a certificate that you can present to sellers as proof that you can afford their property. While not all sellers require a pre approval letter, it certainly gives you an advantage especially where there are many offers for the same house.  And in today's market where properties are listed for sale and go to pending within a matter of days, you need to be prepared to present your strongest offer to the sellers.

Morgage Pre approval process-what to know? 

The process is quite rigorous and you must meet a number of requirements to get this important mortgage document. The requirements may vary depending on the lending institution but in most cases you have to produce:

· Bank statements

· Tax returns

· Proof of debts

· Social security number

· Pay stubs

· Credit report

· Any other relevant financial information.

Lenders or banks need this information to compare it with current market behavior and determine your eligibility to borrow.  It also points buyers to houses within their budget. This shows home sellers that you have a solid plan on how to pay them and while the process might take a couple of weeks, the pre approval letter lets the sellers know that the deal they agree to with you is solid and more likely to proceed smoothly to closing.

Besides increasing seller confidence in buyers, the mortgage preapproval process also helps people to look for the right homes that are within their budget. This saves time and money not to mention easing the home buying process for all parties involved. Those who attempt to buy homes without a pre approval certificate only take longer to close the deal as they need to arrange funds which are not always readily available.

A pre approval is important during the shopping process but that is not a guarantee that you will get approved for a mortgage loan. It is also possible to apply for the loan from a different lender though mortgage approval through the same lender may be a shorter, less involved process.

Mortgage pre approval is much different from prequalification. The latter is only an estimate of the price range of the house you can afford and a highlight of what a lender would loan you.  They do not require the types of documents, as listed above.  They are often just estimate an appropriate house purchase based upon your credit score and the yearly income information you state (without documented proof).  

It is only after deciding on your options that you can proceed to seek the mortgage pre approval from a certified, qualified bank or lending institution.

Staging your home for a quick sale

When you are selling your home you need to properly represent or stage your home.  Staging a home creates a feel for your house that potential buyers will appreciate the first time they view your house (whether in pictures or in person).  In today's market, it's important to take the time to set the stage for a quick, full-price sale.  Selling a house is not an easy task and you have to devote some time to get ready for it. 

Here are some tips for staging your house:

Boost The Appeal

In order to attract a buyer to come through the front door, you have to pay attention to your curb appeal.  Power wash the walkways, driveway and house siding to create a cleaner look.  In our area, you also need to pay attention to any moss on your roof.  A mossy roof, or mildew/green patches on the house or driveway give a dingy/dull appearance and make the potential buyer wonder what other parts of the house have been neglected.  Cracks on a concrete driveway should be repaired.  Worn away paint or stain on your front steps needs to be spruced up too.  

Outside the house hang some easy-to-read house numbers and keep some blooming flowers in your flower beds and in pots (hanging or otherwise) out front.  Wash the front windows and if there are any stains repaint it. All these will accentuate the look of your house.

The Home Should be Neat and Tidy

A neat and tidy house attracts buyers.  If they are unable to look past your clutter to picture themselves living there, then you've lost a potential buyer.  Make sure that the house is sparkling clean with neat and clean closet, bedroom, kitchen and clean bathrooms.  

Clean the Clutter

If you have kids or children at house then a heap of toys or a clutter of clothes over the bed or floor is quite common.  Pets can also create their own messes of toys and equipment.  Even adults can keep large volumes of personal items laying around.  Yes, the potential buyer recognizes that a person still lives in the house... but they still want to walk into a model home.  Remove half the items in your closet - a large closet begins to look like a small closet when you have it operating at max capacity.  A potential buyer will envision more storage space when it appears that you were unable to even utilize all the space available while living there.

In the kitchen, remove all items from your refrigerator (time to pack up you're child's A+ on the spelling test and recent art creation).  Remove all items from your countertop as well (if possible).  The less items on the counter, the more potential counter space available and you can never present too much cooking space.  Yes, we recognize you still live there, but it is an easy step to remove your favorite toaster, canisters, cooking equipment and even coffee maker.  If your counter space is limited, remove it all.

Rearrange Your Furniture

Before the buyers pay a visit to your house, make sure that all the pieces of furniture are at their right places. Rearranging the furniture neatly is very important.  If your dining room is large, accentuate this with a large table and chairs.  If it's cramped, remove any extra table leaves and remove some of the chairs to not show how cramped the situation can be.  Decorate the top of the table with a vase and flowers as well as decorative plates, napkins and glassware that you might use for entertaining. 

In your living areas, accentuate focal features by positioning the furniture properly.  For example, do not block a fireplace with your coach, instead re-position the coach so that someone sitting in it would be facing the fireplace.  Remove over-sized furniture and opt for smaller pieces.  While the large furniture might show that you can fit big pieces in the room, it also takes up a lot of space and can make the room appear smaller.  Set the stage with decorative items like throw pillows and soft blankets to make potential buyers feel at home.

Beware The Odor

Staging a home doesn't just stop when things look good, it also needs to smell good.  The use of air fresheners can help with this.  You could opt to turn on a wax tart burner for a few hours before showing your house.  If you don't happen to have that much time, add a couple cinnamon sticks to boiling water for a few minutes as this scent seems to over power a lot of other common household odors.

You want to sell your home for top-dollar, and setting up an environment that is welcoming to many people is the best way to do this.  So take the time to remove some of your personal items and rearrange things to make it more inviting to others.  Although it may not be the easiest home to live in for a week or so, it will help you to quickly move on to your next home.

Foreclosure Property Pros and Cons Analyzed

Buying foreclosure property is slightly different from buying a typical resale or constructing one from scratch. You need to be extra careful when approaching such an offer because the "good deal" on paper may not necessarily translate to savings on your part at the end of the day. The only way to determine if it is really a nice offer is to compare the foreclosure property pros and cons before making any decision. 

Pros

-The obvious benefit to buying a foreclosed home is that you can get it at the lowest possible market price (that is if you do your homework). Actually, sometimes you could get a house for 50% or less than the market price. 

-If you’re lucky to find a short-sale property, you may be in a position to capitalize on the seller’s sense of urgency to negotiate for a much better deal. Also, if the property is not bank-owned, you can take your time to perform inspections when the property is still pre-foreclosure. 

-If recent past trends are anything to go by, buying through foreclosure can save you about 15% off traditional sales as the homes are priced with the cost of repair and rehabilitation in mind. In fact, you can buy a foreclosed home, rehabilitate it and then wait for property prices to rise and re-sell it for profit. 

-The best thing about buying a foreclosure home is that all transactions are done in business-like fashion. No emotional issues are involved and the buyer, seller and lender only need to agree or disagree to the terms of the transaction. 

While there are many pros to buying foreclosure property, there are still a few cons to it. 

Cons

-The main disadvantage with this method of owning property is that you buy the home “as is where is”. Yes you may perform an extra-thorough inspection on the home but this might not always give you a clear picture on what to expect once you’re the owner. In the end, the discount that attracted you to the deal might wind up costing more than building from scratch. 

-In some cases, you may receive a Special Warranty Deed instead of the Buyer’s Title (especially if the foreclosure is still under review). In such a situation you need to invest in a good title insurance policy to protect your interest just in case the foreclosure is overturned and the house goes back to the original owner. This of course means additional cost burden.

Bottom Line

Investing in a foreclosure property has its fair share of pros and cons. And while the merits might heavily out-weigh the demerits in some cases, it is always advisable to cross-examine the deal before accepting any offer. 

Yes there are many good deals out there, but there are also quite a few albatrosses to watch out for!